Space Fleet Space-Log Episode 17
Episode 17 - Departure Spacedate: 4257.083.20.00 Due to his Modern Day Indentured Servitude, Jason was again unavailable to Play, so it was NPC Braxx Again. Things Picked Up in the Hallway Outside the GFP Embassy on Jupiter Station, where Indeed Councellor Trois Recommended a bit of R&R before the Boreas sets off on its Mission of Galactic Importance but Indeterminate Length. It was, Of Course, Spent as a 4-Hour Block at ''' Doc Op's, complete wirh Black Market Hypnotron Access. When Zorff tried to complain about Dr. Mordin's Minor Brain Damage Concerns in an Effort to get a Better Deal, the Good Doctor responded by offering everybody some Psychotropic-Mood-Altering-Nanites that he assured them would help with Any Issues, (the first 4 were Free!). He also Offered a Wide Variety of Medical Equipment and Nanites at Book Price. In Addition, He Recommended that the Group should Make Sure to Say Good-Bye to Billy before they Go. As Usual Peering In to Billy's Super-Secret Drug Lab through the 10 Foot Tall by 20 Foot Long Window, the Crew spotted him apparently Making-Out with the Cyber-Waif that they had run into him with before, (but they pretended to be Just Talking when the Marines Busted-In). In the Course of Bidding them Good-Bye, it was Observed that Billy appeared to have had some of his Cybernetic Components removed, apparently replaced with Bionetic Implants? Spacedate: 4257.084.00.00 Upon Returning to Barracks, the Marines Ran Into Alpha-Squad, Coming Back On-Duty. The Other Platoon was Still Pissed about missing their Ride Back to the Core, but Ray convinced them that they were getting the Better Deal, Staying Behind in Relative Safety, while Delta Squad was getting Launched Off on a Suicide Mission! Alpha Squad's C.O. seemed to Buy the Story, but the Other Marines Still Seemed Disgruntled as they Left. Also on their Way Out were the 2 Terran Female Marines who were the Only Survivors of Ice Base Ganymede, Lance Corporals Second-Class Lisa Bleen and Anya Triblenkov. They Seemed enthused to see Delta Squad again, almost to the Point of being Fan-Girlish. The Pair was Quickly Distracted However, when Sargent Scarlette and Councellor Trois Arrived to Pick them Up, the Good, (/Bad?), Sargent Apparently having Requested their Assistance in Showing the Space-Fleet Officer 'All Of' the Station. There were 2 Fitful Blocks of Sleep; Ray-Mann had a Weird Dream about Billy Oppenhiemer being a Robot who Dreamed of Being a Real Boy. Spacedate: 4257.084.08.00 First Thing in the Morning and Last Thing before Casting off, there was a Ceremony at the Embassy, wherein Admiral Lupis Granted Captain Bar Ack a Promotion to Acting Admiral. Bar-Ack then Proceeded to Promote Lupis to Acting Brigadier Admiral, and Delta Squad Acting Privates, First-Class. An Officious and Pompous Speech Suitable of the Momentous Occasion was Pontificated, and the Boreas' Crew Returned to the Ship and set-off for the Tachyon Com Node. A Surprise awaited the Marines On-Board, However, in the Presence of the Marines Bleen and Triblenkov, who Claimed to have Volunteered to go on the Mission in Vengeance against Who-Ever was behind the Ultron Virus. The Day of Travelling to Edge of the System was passed with a 4-Hr Block of Random Marine Duties aboard the Ship, during which time Ray managed to Distract Sgt Johnson long enough for Sprout to catch a Quick Plan-Nap in the Store Room. The Rest of the Day was '''3 Free-Blocks, (with the Caveat that Sgt Johnson Ordered the Squad to Upgrade their EVA Capabilities, so anybody who didn't know the Pilot Space Skill or the Space Flight Psionic were Forced to Spend a Block to Hypno-Learn one of them). Dr. Mordin did not approve but was Over-Ruled, (The Noobs all Took their Mystery Pills from Doc Op). In an Amazing Feat of NPC Beguiling, Ray also Conned the Sarge into also Authorizing a Level 6 Equipment Requisition! ' The Voyage was Completed Over the Course of 2 More Sleep Blocks. Spacedate: 4257.085.10.34 As the Boreas Slowed and approached the Sol System Tachyon Com Node, a Jump Gate Suddenly Opened, yet another Helpless, Virus Infected Ship Tumbling Out. Calamitous Collision was avoided thanks to Lieutenant Hu-Ora's Top-Notch Piloting Skills, but the Possibility of the Ghost-Ship's Fusion Generators Overloading and destroying the Com Node, (or the Boreas!), meant that Action was going to be Required, and Fast. Into the Shuttle went Delta Squad, (Red-Shirtless Again), And Over to the other Vessel. The Registration Read 'GSS Tartarus', (registered with Federation Authorities as a Brig-Class Vessel). Due to Concerns about Possible Mutant Versions of the Second Generation Ultron Virus, The Marines were Ordered to Leave the Shuttle Orbiting the Larger Vessel and Fly Over with their Jet-Packs or Mental Powers. As they Floated Across the Chasm, (with no Serious Mishaps!), Zorff Suggested that the Un-Tested Terran Marines Hold-Back and Guard the Airlock, but they Insisted that they Needed to Come with the Team. Sgt Johnson Ordered them to Breach the Ship and Proceed to the Engineering Bay to De-Virus the Fusion Generators. As they Moved In, the First Thing to Catch their Eye was a Conspicuous Pile of Bloody Bodies in the Cross-Corridor Ahead. Closer Inspection Revealed two Dead Convicts, and the bodies of 4 Terran Guards in Half-Life 2 Style Armor. Everybody agreed It Looked Like the Results of an Ultron-Inspired Prison Riot. Seeking a Route Aft, The Troop proceeded down a Corridor that appeared to have a Series of Guard's Bunk-Rooms and a Battered-In Door at the End that Revealed a Couple of More Weaponless Guard Corpses and a Well-Looted Armory. Retracing their Steps, the Marines returned to the the Cross-Corridor, this time taking the Turn Labelled 'Lifts'. As the Hatch Door Opened, A Volley of Energy Blasts Greeted Ray, as it Turned-Out Fired Off by a Very Nervous Group of Surviving Guards, who were Duly Apologetic Once the Mis-Understanding was explained. After things were Smoothed Over, and the Noobs explained their Presence, they were directed Aft to Engineering. After Repairing the Main Fusion Generator Control Software, the Marines Headed Down a Ladder to the Sub-Engineering Level, (Ray had to take off his Construct and Stow it in his Nether-Space Bag to Fit Down). Things were Proceeding Smoothly with the De-Virusing, right up until Sprout entered a Conduit Laden Jefferies Tube, whereupon he was of course Immediately Surprise Attacked by the Biggest Conduit Worm anyone had ever seen! (for Realism Purposes, the Surprise Attack was of course Represented Graphically with a Conduit Worm Cut-Out Secreted beneath Karlid's Tablet while the Group Took a Break). Spacedate: 4257.085.10.52 The Combat was brief but Deadly, the Marines now knowing not to use Energy Weapons against The Crazed Worm, but instead attacked with Armor Piercing Physical Damage. The Worm However, laid down considerable Energy Damage of its own, much of it to LC-2 Bleen, who was soon KO'd. Things went from Bad to Worse when the Worm, upon being Slayed, Exploded in a Massive Area Effect Energy Blast! The destruction of Zorff's Belt Grapple in the Explosion seemed less Terrible after the Squad noticed that Marine Bleen had been Killed in the Explosion. Ray-Mann Jumped in to Action Performing CPR, and looked to be on the verge of Saving Her with a Natural 20 on his Paramedic Check, but then Sprout moved in to Assist, Failing his Check and Killing her, (then commenting "At Least it wasn't the Hot One!"). Anya has to be Dragged Away from the Corpse, Sobbing Uncontrollably. Spacedate: 4257.085.11.03 Heading Back Up to the Mid-Deck, Delta Squad returned to the Elevator Core, De-Virusing One of the Lifts and Ascending to the Command Deck. They were greeted there of course by a Hail of Fire from yet another Group of Extremely Nervous Guards, who were expecting a Rioting Convict Assault. After a Minor Exchange of Friendly Fire, the Marines were able to Calm Things Down, but then Had to Explain Themselves All Over Again. By Now Anya had managed to Compose Herself, but seemed to be Slipping into a State of Non-Responsive Post-Traumatic Stupor. Ignoring her Plight, the Noobs Continued on to the Bridge, where they Had to Explain Themselves One More Time to the Captain. It was discussed that Perhaps Master Chief Scotty could maybe put together Some Sort of Informational Holo-Vid explaining the Ultron Virus and the De-Virusing Procedure that would Save Time in these Sorts of Circumstances? Once the Ship's Control Systems were Cleansed of the Virus, the Captain Formally Requested GFP Assistance in Securing the Prisoners, (as, due to the Presence of Felatians among the Convicts, his Unionized Crew was apparently Not Obligated to enter the Cell-Block Area While the Psionic-Dampening Fields were Disabled). Relaying the Request back to the Boreas, Delta Squad was ordered to Aid in Restoring Order to the Tartarus. Episode 17 Epilogue The Captain Took Pains to Remind the Marines of their Obligations under GFP Laws to try and Subdue the Captives using Approved Levels of Force, (such as the Net-Guns, Stun Batons, Electro-Pistols and Supression Guns used by the Ship's Guards). 8 Generic Points added on the Space Fleet PC Tracking Page, ('1 Combat). Back to Space-Log Category:Space Fleet